New ballgame in Washington

Let the fact-checkers parse the numbers and scrutinize the claims. We know by now that no major political speech will be delivered without plenty of cherry-picked stats and creative interpretations, and President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night was no exception.

Put aside for the moment the bitter and dismissive rhetoric of the Republicans in response. We also know by now that no major political speech will be delivered without members of the opposition party automatically denouncing it.

Instead, take a step back and consider the tone and the breadth of Obama's message. Obama laid out the kind of broadly progressive agenda that his supporters have wanted and his detractors have feared for the last four years. He called for bipartisanship, but made it clear he would be establishing the ground rules.

Obama sounded like the Obama that so many expected to see more often during his first term, an Obama who was too often lost in attempts at appeasement as he navigated through the political minefields toward re-election.

After Tuesday night's speech, Republicans complained that Obama was playing to his liberal base. What the president was doing, however, was playing to the public. Obama is clearly weary of the facilitator's role, trying to carve out responsible governing with an intractable opposition. Instead, Obama is now trying to build a stronger hand by whipping up public support for his policies, many of which have the overwhelming backing of Americans.

That means no more pulling punches. He told Republicans to stop obsessing about deficit reduction because it stymies growth. He pushed hard for immigration reform, rebuked those who would deny the effects of climate change and, in a final flourish, championed his gun control plans with the repeated declaration amidst thunderous applause that the victims of gun violence and their families deserve a vote from Congress on the proposals.

There are, of course, the usual and plentiful storm clouds, but of particular immediate concern is the approaching March 1 deadline for "sequestration," the automatic and massive spending cuts that will kick in without a budget deal in Congress. Obama sounded far from optimistic about a solution, and many Republicans were saying afterward that they expect the cuts to take effect. That could quickly derail many of Obama's aggressive plans, and it figures to be the first major test of the new dynamic between an energized and more defiant president and a Republican resistance fighting for fresh traction.

Obama exuded an aura of leadership in the State of the Union that was typically absent in his first term. Whether that reflects a change in philosophy or the brightened mood of someone given another four years to pursue his visions, it was a welcome sight. Now we'll see if he can deliver on that renewed promise.

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New ballgame in Washington

Let the fact-checkers parse the numbers and scrutinize the claims.

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